Tom Peterson Appointed La Salle's Head Cross Country/Track and Field Coach

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Tom Peterson, who has spent the past three years as an assistant cross country/track and field coach at La Salle, has been appointed to replace Dan Ireland as La Salle’s head men’s and women’s cross country/track and field coach.

Peterson has been instrumental in recruiting and developing the athletes that have earned Atlantic 10 Championships and NCAA qualifications. He has also been an assistant coach at Wisconsin and Appalachian State. Peterson was an all-conference runner at both Iona and Appalachian State.

“Tom has a strong familiarity with our student-athletes, having recruited and coached at La Salle for the past three years,” Brennan said. “We believe he will continue to keep La Salle cross country and track and field among the elite programs in the conference and region.”

Ireland, who resigned his position to become the new head coach at Columbia University, led the Explorers to three A-10 Championships, two in men’s cross country and one in women’s cross country, and was named the A-10 Coach of the Year three times. Twelve of his athletes were NCAA qualifiers, with Alfredo Santana and Meghan McGlinchey earning All-America honors.

“Dan took over our program at a difficult time following Charles Torpey’s unfortunate passing and led us to Atlantic 10 Championships and NCAA individual appearances,” Director of Athletics Dr. Tom Brennan said. “We thank him for his service and wish him luck at Columbia.”